J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by AllyG

Dorset Boy wrote:They should have a qualification of some sort because they are leading a group they (their TO) has brought together, and are offering a service. They therefore have a responsibility to their clients. In the event of an accident they would be expected to take charge until the ski patrol arrive etc, etc.

Sure they don't need a full instructor's or guide's qualification, but I'm surprised people can see the difference between their role, and that of a group of friends skiing together, and therefore the responsibilities they have.

Do you think there's any chance of the law being changed so that the French (and the rest of the EU) would accept BASI level 1 as an adequate qualificaton for a ski host?

I know it's only meant to qualify you for teaching on a dry slope, or a snow dome, and not for teaching on the mountain, but ski hosts don't actually teach. And I think it is an internationally recognized ski qualification that isn't too difficult (or expensive) to achieve.

It looks as though you can do a 5 day course on it in several snow domes etc. in the U.K. for about £520. And after you pass it you then have to do a further 35 hours to gain experience in a snowsports school, and you have to do a first aid course.

I think you can do it for so many hours a week at the weekends as well.

My younger daughter was thinking of doing this, and then working as a ski host/chalet girl/whatever job she could find in a ski resort, if she hadn't got into uni. And I think it's a very good way of gaining valuable experience and useful life skills whilst also getting the opportunity to ski for a season. It would be a shame for the youngsters if they no longer had a chance to become ski hosts :(

http://www.basi.org.uk/content/alpine-level-1-course.aspx

biki17 wrote:Hi,

Can we go on the list too please -)
La Plagne on 9 March :!:

Of course you can :)

I've done it now ...

Stewart Dowling wrote:I see that the list has stopped being updated.
Was looking forward to see my name near the top.

Hi Stewart, it's OK, I haven't stopped doing the list :)
And I've put you on it in bold today!

I last updated it 3 days ago - page 288. I don't know, however, that I will be able to update it whilst I'm away ski-ing myself. It depends if I can find a computer somewhere, as I don't have an internet phone.

List of J2Skiers off ski-ing/boarding, with the number of sleeps/days left updated to today, Monday 25th February.

GreenGoblin is at the top today! Closely followed by - Me! :)

GreenGoblin going to Chatel in 3 days on the 28/02/2013
AllyG going to Tignes in 5 days on the 02/03/2013
Gareth Fair going to Sauze D'Oulx in 9 days on the 06/03/2013
LOTA going to Reith im Alpbachtal in 9 days on the 06/03/2013
Melbatb going to Andorra in 11 days on the 08/03/2013
Biki17 going to La Plagne in 12 days on the 09/03/2013
Brooksy going to Obergurgl in 12 days on the 09/03/2013
Wanderer going to St Anton in 17 days on the 14/03/2013
Tony_H going to Serre Chevalier in 19 days on the 16/03/2013
Stewart Dowling going to Serre Chevalier in 19 days on the 16/03/2013
Gaz C going to Val Thorens in 54 days on the 20/04/2013
Brooksy going to Chamonix in 299 days on the 21/12/2013

Brooksy, the first morning of the Bonjour ski hosting WAS a total disaster - I would completely agree with you on that!

As far as I remember, at the beginning we were in one large group and the 2 ski hosts shot off pretty fast and then waited for everyone to catch up with them, and then asked who had found that too fast for them. And I think only 3 people admitted to finding it too fast, and they went off with one ski host, leaving something like 11 of us with the other ski host - which was far too large a group.

And then, for quite a while, people kept getting lost and left behind, and I was busy texting them to tell them where we were (it was a good thing I had put people's mobile numbers on my phone!).

And by lunch time quite a few people had had enough of ski-ing with our Bonjour host in the fast group, for various reasons (like they wanted to ski more slowly so they could take photos and admire the view), and the afternoon ski hosting (with a much smaller group size) was great :)


This is why I said that I agreed with limiting group numbers, not just with the free ski hosting, but with group ski lessons as well. I have been in an ESF group lesson where people kept getting lost all over the resort, until I reached the conclusion that the ESF instructor was deliberately losing those people that couldn't keep up so that he would have a smaller class to teach! He was the instructor to whom I agreed to pay 50 euros for his lunch (my idea, not his) if he would promise not to lose me when he took us on a whole day tour of the 3 valleys!).

I've forgotten who suggested a maximum class size of 8 earlier in this thread, maybe it was Dorset Boy, but I would totally agree with this. I noticed on the ESF Tignes website that during school holidays they allow class sizes of up to 12 pupils!

I think myself that the legislation surrounding ski-ing is having a hard time keeping up with the latest developments in the recreational sport, and that what is needed is a new legal definition of a 'ski host', together with a framework so that they can be legally licensed to work at this activity. I hope this will be the eventual outcome of the Appeal and any possible case that may be taken further up to a EU court.

I am quite sure myself that a ski host is NOT a ski instructor and that therefore ski hosts should NOT need the same amount of training as a fully qualified ski instructor in France, and that therefore the job needs a new legal description together with simpler and shorter training requirements, and licensing etc.

Nice review Smartski :thumbup:

Thanks :)

Thanks very much SwingBeep, it was most interesting :)

If I go quiet all of a sudden, for an extended period of time, you will know that I have had a knock on the door and been taken away under arrest to France :shock:

Ian, a petition would be a good idea, but the trouble is that most of us on here don't use our real names :cry:

This is a round up of some of the latest news on this story:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/snowandski/9888004/Why-France-is-wrong-to-ban-ski-hosts.html

This is what PlanetSki have to say about it:
http://www.planetski.eu/news/4687

They say they think the Leader Service with the Ski Club of GB is going to be allowed to continue:

The Ski Club of Great Britain has announced it will be continuing with its leading service in France.

It is able to do so as its leaders are unpaid volunteers though they do have most of their expenses paid including accomodation, lift pass, food and travel.

This is a recording of a BBC 4 radio interview on it (with some other stuff at the beginning of it). If someone would please listen to it and then tell me what it says I'd be very grateful, as my internet speed is too slow for me to be able to hear it :(

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01qnrzt/You_and_Yours_Scams_ski_slopes_and_nuisance_calls/

Ian Wickham wrote:

Iceman wrote:Serious? !

You think a letter will actually make A difference? Have you written one? Maybe we should have a j2ski letter :roll:

Why would I bother I never use the service as I don't use TO's, but if people feel strongly enough then they should bombard the EU and French government into action. 8)

Thank you Ian :thumbup:

Some of my previous campaigns (on other matters I feel strongly about) have been quite successful :)

We do live in a democracy after all, and both France and the U.K. are part of the European Union.